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Not too long ago I did a Top 10 Reasons it Sucks to be T1D. Now, I would like to reverse that thought process with reasons why it ain’t too shabby being a T1 diabetic.

1. Fake a Drop, Take a Pop

I haven’t ever done this that I can recall, but one could, say, fake a low blood sugar to receive a treat. Imagine, there is an individual eating a sugary treat in front of you and you think to yourself “I’m gonna get it!” Just fake a low blood sugar and if the individual is a decent human being the yummy treat is yours! I learned this tactic eons ago when I was a mere junior high volleyball player (I played the position of “benchwarmer”) Now picture this: it’s a hot sizzling day, the volleyball coaches ran us ragged until we were melting piles of flesh. A fellow teammate , whom we shall call “She Who Must Not Be Named,” bummed a ride home from my mom and I. As we are driving home, my mother stops by a soda machine and buys me an ice cold Diet Pepsi (she offers one to “She Who Must Not Be Named”, but she declines.) I take one drink and can feel the cold refreshing liquid slide down my hot throat. Soooo good. All of a sudden, from the back seat we hear *cough* *cough* (sounds like the cheapest fake cough imaginable), As I glance back from the passenger seat with an evil glare at “She Who Must Not Be Named,” my mom tells me to give the drink to her. Then, I watch as she drinks my wonderful soda. Anyway, that traumatic incident showed me that I could fake a low and take food and drinks from a person, and it also taught me that I would rather not do that else I would turn into “She Who Must Not Be Named.” That may have made me sound like a brat, but she was a scrounge and she stole my soda. You just don’t do that to a person!

2. Entertainment Value

I learned this a a youngun when I was laying around on the floor at home and my mom ran up to me screaming thinking I had passed out in diabetic shock. I found it hilarious. I used to try to repeat this, but she learned her lesson and would just step over me from then on. Yes, I was a brat. It’s also an interesting time to see strangers glance at me in stores with questionative looks whenever I tell who I’m with “I’m really high” or whatever diabetic thing going on with me at the time

3. Doctor Check-Ups

I see my endocrinologist about 3-4 times a year. I go to the eye doctor once a year. I’m not saying it is fun to go to the doctor (What I am I? Some sort of freak!?!), but it does keep me up to date on all my bodily happenings. I like to think if something is going to happen to me, maybe my doctors will catch it quick, seeing as how I see them so often.

4. The Skill of Life

I learned independence at an early an age. I had to. I needed to know how to take care of myself when I went low, high, up, down, crazy, weird, etc. I’ve never been one to rely too much on other people for things, so I am glad I learned this as a child. Some don’t gain these super power skills until they are in college. Some never do .

5. High Tolerance of Pricking

It is inevitable that I would build up a tolerance for being poked at with things. (This does not mean I want any of you to poke me with sticks next time you see me.) I change my pump site every 3 days, my continuous monitor every 6 days, I prick my finger 2 – 6 times a day. Basically this means if I ever get abducted by aliens I will survive the probing stage longer than normal humans until I am able to karate chop my way out of there and save Earth. You’re welcome.

6. Getting Out of Things You Don’t Want to Do

Let’s face it. Sometimes in life there are things that you are obligated to do that you just don’t want to do. What better way to get out of something boring than to pull the ol’ diabetic card. I did this frequently growing up. Don’t want to eat dinner at a friends house? No problem. “I have to go home to give my insulin.”Don’t want to go on a boring tour of the RCA dome on your senior trip? Hakuna matata. “Teacher, my blood sugar is low I think I should stay behind and drink a regular soda. Oh yeah… I should probably have my best friend stay back with me…make sure I don’t pass out or anything.” Don’t want to mow the yard? “I’m low.” Works like a charm.Why are you being such a B word? “My blood sugar is high.” (This really does make me a bad name when I’m at a certain high point.)

That’s about all I got at the moment. I could rustle up a few more good things, but I think it is time I sing some tunes (I’m listening to the Avett Brothers, I’m including a little you tube treat for you all) then I need to go to bed so I can awake for a work day…unless I have a diabetic attack and can’t make it in…. Kidding!

Please bear with me here. Don’t get out the rotten fruit and veggies just yet to throw at me as I stand up here on my pedestal.

Yes, I am going to talk briefly about JDRF and the walk to cure diabetes I’m going to do in St. Louis on Oct. 7. And yes, I do realize this constant diabetes talk and giving are probably annoying to some. I can hear some of your thoughts now “Shut your face, weirdo.” “Stop putting it on Facebook.” I can’t help it. I’m a strange person who wants to advocate for Type 1 diabetes, a little selfish, seeing as how I have it, but that’s life. I promise if any of my friends or family had some sort of issue I would be doing the same for them and whatever problems they have. If one of them was…to say… get abducted by aliens, well, you can bet your bottom dollar I would form some sort of alien protest until they were back on earth.

Back to the walk, I am a healthy, non dying individual as are a lot of people with type 1. It is through research on type 1 that I am healthy and not burnt to ash and spread over some sort of scenic area. It wasn’t that long ago that people didn’t know that insulin was the key to saving our lives. Back in the day (1920) the lifespan of someone with my disease was a matter of months, and that was through a severe diet and almost non-stop exercising.

Before and after insulin in the 1920’s

Thankfully, a wonderful fellow discovered how to reproduce insulin and prolong diabetic souls. In those 90 some years since that discovery there have been many more life expanding creations to make a Type 1’s life easier and more normal.

As I said I’m doing the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes soon and if any of you want to join my team or donate it would be greatly appreciated. I think sometimes when you see how normal we T1’s lead our lives it is hard to see how important research has been to us. It is your choice, but I wanted everyone to know how much supporting diabetes research means to me.

As I am currently sitting in an airport awaiting a flight to New Jersey, I thought what better way to pass the time than to write about the trials and tribulations of air travel when you have Type 1 diabetes.

After many test airplane runs I think I have nailed down the best way to get through security without getting molested by security.

Insulin Pump

I used to stay connected to my pump and warn the security guard at the metal detector that I had a pump and then I’d take it out of my pocket and hold it out to him/her in a “Hey, not trying to do anything crazy here, just a diabetic with a pump. Please don’t shoot me.” DO NOT DO THIS. This is a guarantee that you will be taken behind a clear plastic window and get the pat down. They will also swipe some sort of shenanigans over the pump to ensure no bomb residue is on there.

If you want to avoid the inevitable pat down you need to take the pump off and stick it in your purse (or man purse if you are of the male species) and send it through the bag xray thing. I’ve done this twice now and not had to be touched inappropriately. Works like a charm.

Insulin and needles

I carry insulin, syringes (for emergency pump breakdown situations), and pump supplies in my “pump it up” bag. I always put this in my carry on. I do not check it, because I’m paranoid my luggage will get lost and I’ll die. Basically. Surprisingly, in all my travels (and there have been many) I have never been stopped about this. So keep on keeping on in these regards.

Side note: there is a person sitting next to me trying to read this. Stop being nosey please. Good day, sir.

Ok, he moved. Back to business.

Continuous Glucose Monitor

This gadget cannot be removed. If you are only walking through the detector you are fine. There is no metal in it and it won’t set anything off. If you have to go through the “see through your clothes” x-ray thing some airports have you will need to tell someone before you enter, as it will look like you have a tiny bomb attached to you. Luckily I didn’t have to do that at the St. Louis airport. New York airport might be a whole new ball of yarn. I’ll have to put up an update up if I get any trouble over there.